ISLAMABAD: A delegation of the National Di­­saster Management Au­­t­hority (NDMA), led by Chair­m­­an Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik, took part in the 5th Board of Trustees me­­eting of the Asian Di­­s­as­ter Prepared­ness Cent­­re (ADPC) in Bangkok. The collaborative effort aims to enhance disaster resilience across the region, a news release said.

The delegation also visited the Thai Military Department of Deve­lop­ment and Disaster Relief Training Centre.

This exchange promotes knowledge sharing and capacity building in disaster management and relief efforts. The NDMA team engaged with the Thai Disaster Prevention and Mitiga­tion Depa­rt­m­ent and visited their Eme­rgency Operation Centre where discussions cente­red on disaster risk reduction strategies and cooperation.

He briefed the Thai officials about Pakistan’s status as the chair of International Search and Rescue Advisory Group of Asia Pacific for 2024. He said that Pakistan and Thailand could coordinate with each other by building partnerships with donors and financial institutions to secure resources for climate resilience projects.

During the visits, the NDMA chief highlighted the efforts regarding anticipatory actions in Pakistan and how these actions can be implemen­ted in Thailand acco­rding to their hazard profile.

Similarly, Pakistan would be interested in learning from Thail­and’s anticipatory actions protocols as well as identification of areas of mutual interest with the NDMA’s Think Tank National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM).

To enhance collaborative efforts, he proposed joint simulation exercises specifically designed for search and rescue teams.

The Pakistan delegation invited members of the ADPC board of trustees, the disaster management counterpart of Thailand and the technical team to visit the NDMA to witness the capabilities of Pakistan’s NEOC at the NDMA headquarters.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2024